The law ends “written promise to appear” options, which many consider to be similar to cashless bail.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A newly configured Charlotte City Council is preparing to navigate budget constraints as Iryna’s Law takes effect, with councilmembers emphasizing they need state funding to implement the law’s requirements.
Three new councilmembers were sworn in Monday night, the first day the law went into effect. Both new and returning members urged the state for more assistance.
“Please, Raleigh, send us some money,” Councilman Malcolm Graham said.
Graham said the law has goals Mecklenburg County can’t meet without help.
“It’s like a car with no gas in it. It looks good, but it can’t go; it’s empty,” Graham said. “We need to have a real relationship with Raleigh, talking about real problems and putting resources in place so that we can move forward.”
The North Carolina General Assembly passed the law, following the murder of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska on the Charlotte light rail. It ends “written promise to appear” options, which many consider to be similar to cashless bail. It also mandates that judges order mental health evaluations in certain cases and will also expedite death penalty appeals.
The law provides funding for 10 new prosecutors and five legal assistants in Mecklenburg County. However, that is the only funding it provides, meaning three new council members are walking into a big task, including Kimberly Owens, the first Democrat to represent District 6.
“I think the devil is going to be in the details on that,” Owens said. “It’s well and good for the General Assembly to pass laws, but those laws have to be funded. And I think Sheriff McFadden was very clear about some of the constraints that his office is going to feel.”
The biggest constraint is the jail already being at “functional capacity”. Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden said last week that they need more personnel.
However, North Carolina still has no state budget.
State Rep. Jordan Lopez, a Democrat representing east Charlotte, says he hopes the Republican majority will see the need as those negotiations continue.
“They could retroactively provide funding to help increase how many judges we have, for example, or other staff positions in the judicial system here in Mecklenburg County and across the state,” Lopez said. “Will they? I haven’t heard anything to indicate that that is an interest.”
For now, that means funding to support this will remain in the hands of local government.
The new council’s first official meeting is Jan. 5.
Contact Julie Kay at juliekay@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
